Horizontal Sundial on Halde Hoheward, Herten, Germany
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g300td
N 51° 33.979 E 007° 10.194
32U E 373157 N 5714391
The horizontal sundial on Halde Hoheward with its obelisk as a shadow caster is modelled after the sundial of the emperor Augustus on the Marsfield in Rome.
Waymark Code: WMNMYT
Location: Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Date Posted: 04/06/2015
Views: 5
"The motion of the Sun – the change of day to night – is one of the earliest natural phenomena observed by mankind and makes the passage of time perceivable. Examples of the first determinations of time using the position of the Sun or the movement of the shadow are already known to us from antiquity. Many examples of sundials exist of various design.
The horizontal sundial on Halde Hoheward with its obelisk as a shadow caster is modelled after the sundial of the emperor Augustus on the Marsfield in Rome. If the ancient sundial was complete, i.e. including hour and date lines on the morning and evening side, or only consisting of a meridian to measure the altitude of the Sun at midday, is unknown. The recent scientific finding point only towards a meridian.
The observation of the progression of a shadow on a surface marked with a grid enables the measurement of date and local time. Therefore, not only does time become perceivable, but also laws governing celestial mechanics. The observer can now understand his relation to the cosmos.
The first step towards realising a astronomical park was made on 17th May 2005 with the inauguration of the obelisk. The obelisk is located on the south-east plateau of the slag heap at a height of 140 above sea level. The area covered by its shadow is 62 m in diameter."
Text: Hoheward der Landschaftspark.
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